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Tabu

  • 20122012
  • Not RatedNot Rated
  • 1h 58m
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
7K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Tabu (2012)
A restless retired woman teams up with her deceased neighbor's maid to seek out a man who has a secret connection to her past life as a farm owner at the foothill of Mount Tabu in Africa.
Play trailer2:09
1 Video
83 Photos
  • Drama
  • Romance
A restless retired woman teams up with her deceased neighbor's maid to seek out a man who has a secret connection to her past life as a farm owner at the foothill of Mount Tabu in Africa.A restless retired woman teams up with her deceased neighbor's maid to seek out a man who has a secret connection to her past life as a farm owner at the foothill of Mount Tabu in Africa.A restless retired woman teams up with her deceased neighbor's maid to seek out a man who has a secret connection to her past life as a farm owner at the foothill of Mount Tabu in Africa.
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
7K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Miguel Gomes
  • Writers
    • Miguel Gomes
    • Mariana Ricardo
  • Stars
    • Telmo Churro
    • Miguel Gomes(voice)
    • Hortêncílio Aquina
Top credits
  • Director
    • Miguel Gomes
  • Writers
    • Miguel Gomes
    • Mariana Ricardo
  • Stars
    • Telmo Churro
    • Miguel Gomes(voice)
    • Hortêncílio Aquina
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 25User reviews
    • 145Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 20 wins & 46 nominations

    Videos1

    U.S. Version
    Trailer 2:09
    U.S. Version

    Photos83

    Telmo Churro in Tabu (2012)
    Isabel Cardoso in Tabu (2012)
    Laura Soveral in Tabu (2012)
    Carloto Cotta in Tabu (2012)
    Ana Moreira and Carloto Cotta in Tabu (2012)
    Miguel Gomes in Tabu (2012)
    Tabu (2012)
    Tabu (2012)
    Ana Moreira in Tabu (2012)
    Ana Moreira and Ivo Müller in Tabu (2012)
    Carloto Cotta in Tabu (2012)
    Ana Moreira in Tabu (2012)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Telmo Churro
    Telmo Churro
    • Intrepid exploreras Intrepid explorer
    Miguel Gomes
    Miguel Gomes
    • Narratoras Narrator
    • (voice)
    Hortêncílio Aquina
    • Porteras Porter
    Américo Mota
    • Porteras Porter
    Valentim Hortêncílio
    • Porteras Porter
    • (as Valentim Hortencílio)
    Artur Januário
    • Porteras Porter
    Mariana Ricardo
    • Explorer's wifeas Explorer's wife…
    Teresa Madruga
    Teresa Madruga
    • Pilaras Pilar
    Maya Kosa
    • Polish womanas Polish woman
    Isabel Cardoso
    Isabel Cardoso
    • Santaas Santa
    Laura Soveral
    Laura Soveral
    • Auroraas Aurora
    Vítor Manuel
    • Guideas Guide
    Cândido Ferreira
    Cândido Ferreira
    • Painteras Painter
    Maria José Ricardo
    • Literacy teacheras Literacy teacher
    Joana Cunha Ferreira
    • Pilar's friendas Pilar's friend
    Araceli Fuente Basconcillos
    • Pilar's friendas Pilar's friend
    Vasco Pimentel
    • Demonstration spokesmanas Demonstration spokesman…
    Paulo Amorim
    • Polish manas Polish man
    • Director
      • Miguel Gomes
    • Writers
      • Miguel Gomes
      • Mariana Ricardo
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The movie that Aurora was said to have participated in, "It will never snow again over Kilimanjaro", is, of course, fictional.
    • Goofs
      At 1:20:48 a women appears to be using a cell phone or a mobile phone (the film is based on the sixties).
    • Connections
      References Tabu: A Story of the South Seas (1931)
    • Soundtracks
      Variações Pindéricas Sobre a Insensatez
      Written and performed by Joana Sá

    User reviews25

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    A gem of a film not just about love, but love of cinema
    I watched Tabu knowing very little about it and found the film a real treat to watch, but however I will try to avoid giving too much away as this is one of those films that are best to watch not knowing too much. The whole viewing experience is very rewarding, not just emotionally, but also in that your required patience is amply rewarded. Though the entire film is shot in black and white, the two different stories are told in differing stylistic ways, making Tabu a very fitting tribute to cinema itself.

    The first half, firstly being set in the present day, has almost a surrealist feel to it, with some apparently random moments and new characters being introduced suddenly. This does require your attention and anyone could be forgiven for wondering where the hell the film is going. However, as the first half reaches its inevitable conclusion and we enter the second half, this is where Tabu becomes an engaging and emotionally rewarding film. Many of the supposedly random moments of the first half now fit in perfectly as we are revealed what happened when Aurora was a young woman living in Africa.

    The second half is a rather simple story of an illicit love affair that could never be but is told in an emotionally powerful way, enhanced by the framed narrative structure and deeply mournful narration of who we discover to be the man she loved. The power of the voice over is enhanced by the completely different stylistic approach of the second half, the only dialogue throughout is the voice over of Aurora's lover and the whole second half is shot in 16mm. The poignant reflections of the narrator can easily be interpreted as also being the director's and perhaps us the viewer's feelings towards silent era cinema of a bygone age. This stylistic approach is very much purposeful, all other diagetic sounds can be heard, and the characters are physically talking to each other. The emotional power is only enhanced by the fact all we can hear is the non-diagetic narration and having to otherwise rely on expressions and body language of the characters. Part two feels like a two sided approach to love of the past; a past loved one and a love of cinema of the past.

    Despite the main subject of the story at hand, Tabu is not a completely bleak film, the playful use of different cinematic techniques and music are a joy to watch and the catharsis of the ending leaves a feeling of poignancy but not abject misery. There are however elements to Tabu that may frustrate. It feels that the protagonist of part one is Pilar, Aurora's neighbour and her story does feel frustratingly unfinished as we see elements of her daily life that make us truly care about her as these moments have literally nothing to do with Aurora. However, this is the story of Aurora through the eyes of those around her and in that case the stylistic approach of part one in retrospect fits with that of part two. The surrealist and playful approach to narrative structure in part one may seem pretentious and potentially alienating to some, but after watching the entire film I could only look back at it with positive feelings.

    Original and unique, Tabu is a thoroughly engrossing and emotionally rewarding story that serves not only as a tribute to human love, but also love of the history of cinema. The first thirty minutes or so may feel hard work at first, but what the remainder of the film has to offer more than amply rewards the viewer's patience.
    helpful•20
    0
    • MoodyB84
    • Mar 30, 2013

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • April 5, 2012 (Portugal)
    • Countries of origin
      • Portugal
      • Germany
      • Brazil
      • France
      • Spain
    • Languages
      • Portuguese
      • English
      • Polish
    • Also known as
      • Tabú
    • Filming locations
      • Lisbon, Portugal
    • Production companies
      • O Som e a Fúria
      • Komplizen Film
      • Gullane
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $1,108,473
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 58 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

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